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Vine Inn

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MichaelJM
MichaelJM
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
3
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Editor Pick

The Vine

  • August 22, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by MichaelJM from Nottingham, England
The Vine

Usually I’m not one to wander into a pub for a quiet drink, but spending the night alone in a large city I was able to rationalise my visit as part of my devotion to contributing to IgoUgo. In fairness the Vine is a pub well worth writing about as it seems so incongruously placed close to the centre of Manchester. It almost feels like a country pub and although I understand it’s really busy on a lunchtime, there’s a pleasant friendly local feel to it at night (probably weekends and term time are a little different) and I had no difficulty in finding a place to sit and relax.

A small selection of real ales could be found at the small bar and the petite bar tender could hardly be seen behind the impressive array of highly polished pumps. She gave a great smile (showing off her facial piercings to perfection) as she pulled me a pint of Hobgoblin (a strong Wychwood pint from Oxfordshire). It was well kept and I had to remind myself of the strength as I greedily supped the contents of my glass.

The Vine is deceptively large with three very defined bars set across different levels. I’d gone straight in at street level (the one and only entrance) and upstairs a group of young lads were enjoying the night over a few “classic pints”. This upper level has its own bar, but on quiet times only the street level bar is operating, and downstairs is a cellar bar offering “function facilities” for conferences and private parties. Not unsurprisingly the cellar bar was not open on this quiet Monday night.

I don’t think this place ‘does food’ but they had a fine array of bar snacks including “pork scratchings” (the heavily salted fried rind off pork), numerous types of peanuts, and too many crisps to contemplate. All are “unhealthy options”, but if you’re enjoying a good strong pint with the lads they are the perfect accompaniment.

Although I generally liked the feel of the place, it was somewhat spoilt with a couple of TVs in the corners and a garish, indiscreet and positively flamboyant slot machine. The modern equivalent (with flashing lights) of the juke box started to play some great rock music and although this would clearly “kill conversation” I was more than content with this added entertainment.

In contrast the pub “returned me to the country theme” with a variety of pub memorabilia, a range of blue willow plates and dishes (some I’d have been happy to add to my collection) and some fairly hideous (although amazingly collectible in “their day”) models of shire horses pulling brewery carts. These oversized pieces of horses had pride of place on the broad window ledge behind the tightly stuffed button back seating,

If you’re considering a “pub crawl” of Manchester pubs I suggest that you write this one into your itinerary and try the Hobgoblin -a nicely- rounded traditional ale.

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